Shackle.



J. R. MORSE.- I

SHACKLE. APPLICATION FILED MAY 12. 1910;

988,587. Patented Apr. 4, 1911.

witnesses. J Inventor; m l /3 )6?) 0 Ohn Ronse. fifl% M 1 1 NORRIS FEYER! ca. WAsnmc'raN, n. c.

UNITED STATES r atrnnr onmon.

JOHN R. MORSE, 0]? LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO ORVIE W. PATTAN, DE LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

SHACKLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 4, 1911.

Application filed May 12, 1910. Serial No. 560,818.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN R. lMORSE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Shackles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to shackles such as used in slaughter houses and packing houses for supporting hogs by their hind legs. These shackles are usually employed in pairs suspended from the ends of a gambrel stick.

The object of the invention is to produce a shackle which can be readily opened to receive the hogs leg and which will operate to grip the leg securely and support the hog Without injuring the leg in any manner.

The device is constructed in such a way that the jaws, which grip the leg, will close about the leg to lock themselves automatically against opening, and means is provided for releasing the jaws to permit the body of the hog to fall when desired.

In the annexed drawing which fully illustrates my invention, Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the manner in which the shackles are used in practice, and showing the upper portion of a hogs body, which is supported by the shackles. Fig. 2 is a side elevation upon an enlarged scale showing the shackle with the jaws in open position, the cover plate of the shackles being removed and certain parts being shown in cross section; other parts are broken away. Fig. 3 is a view somewhat similar to Fig. 2, but showing the jaws in their closed position. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 47- 1 of Fig. 2 and showing details of the catch device for holding the jaws open and showing means for releasing the catch so as to permit the jaws to close.

Referring more particularly to the parts, 5 represents a sling provided with a hook 6 at its upper end supported on a horizontal rail 7, and the lower end of this sling 5 is provided with a gambrel stick 8 from which the ends of the shackles 9 are suspended, as indicated.

Referring to Figs. 2 to 4, body 9 of the shackle is formed with a vertical, elongated handle 10, which is enlarged below so as to form a head 11, and from the lower end of this head a fixed jaw 12 extends downwardly and inwardly in the form of a curved hook. The end of this jaw is bifurcated so as to form two forks 13 with a gap or recess 11 therebetween, as will be readily understood. The inner cdge 15 of this jaw is scalloped as indicated to increase its holding power. The head 11. is cut away so as to form a lock chamber 16, in which there is rotatably mounted a lock 17, mounted upon a transverse pivot pin 18, as shown. The lock 17 is in the form of a disk 17 having circumferential inclined ratchet teeth 19 on a portion of the edge thereof, and from the edge of the disk opposite to the teeth 19, a movable j aw 20 extends downwardly in the form of a hook; and the end of the jaw is adapted to be received in the aforesaid gap 1 1 between the forks 13, when the jaws are closed, as indicated in Fig. 3.

At a suitable point the edge of the disk 17 is cut away on both sides so as to form an car 21 of reduced thickness, and to this car 21 a shoe 22 is attached by a pivot screw 23. This shoe is bifurcated at its point of attachment to the disk, and its upper end is formed into a socket 24, which receives a ball 25 formed on the lower end of a stem 26. This stem 26 extends upwardly in a slightly inclined groove 27, which is formed in the handle 10, as indicated. About the stem 26, a coil spring 28 is placed, the upper end of which thrusts against the upper end of the groove 27, and the lower end of which thrusts against the upper end of the shoe 22. In the open position of the jaw 20, the shoe 22 transmits the thrust of the spring 28 to the left of the pivot pin 18 and tends to rotate disk 17 so as to close the jaw. The wall of the groove 27 at this point guides the shoe as it slides. In order to place the spring 28 in compression, the upper end of the stem 26 projects beyond the upper end of the groove 27 and is guided in a suitable guide bore 29. Between this bore 29 and the end of the groove 27, a chamber 30 is formed, and in this chamber is mounted a trigger 31, which is pivotally mounted on a transverse pin 32. This trigger 31. has a toe 33, which is received in the slot 3 1 formed in the end of the stem, and when the trigger swings in an upward direction on its pivot 32, it will draw the stem upwardly, and place the spring in compression. In order to operate the trigger, a short bar 35 is provided, the upper end of which is attached by a pivot screw 36 to the trigger at an intermediate point on the trigger, and the lower end of this bar is mounted to slide longitudinally in a guideway 37 formed in the handle at this point. This bar 35 is adapted to be shoved upwardly by means of a cam 38, which is formed at the hub of a cam lever 39 attached to the handle by a suitable pivot pin 40. This lever 39 in its normal or closed position lies against the edge of the handle and is pocketed in the edge, as indicated in Fig. 3. This lever 39 is normally held in this position by a spring clip 41 attached to the upper end of the handle, which coiiperates with a notch 12 in the end of the lever 39. In order to facilitate the disengagement of the lever, the edge of the handle adjacent to the upper end thereof is cut away, so as to form gaps 43, as shown in Fig. 8.

Upon the inner face of the disk 17 a of the lock 17, a notch or recess 14 is provided and this notch may be engaged by a tooth 45 formed on a catch 46 which is pivotally mounted on a pin 47 in a pocket 18 formed in the head under the lock, as indicated most clearly in Fig, 4. The catch &6 is disposed in an inclined position, and its upper end is formed into a socket 49 which receives a ball 50 formed on the lower end of athumb lever 51, said lever 51 having a ball 52 received in a socket 53 formed in the side of a releasing button 54:. This releasing button 5% is in the form of a plunger, the lower end of which is mounted to slide in a bore 55 formed in the handle at this point, and in this bore 55 a spring 56 is received, which tends to force the button 54 outwardly. The force on this spring tends, therefore, to hold the tooth l5 against the face of the lock 17. The arrangement is such that when the lock 17 is rotated, as in opening the jaw 20, the tooth 45 will spring into engagement with the notch and hold the jaw open. lVhen the button 54 is pressed, the thumb lever 51 rocks on its pivot 57 and releases the lock, whereupon the spring 28 forces the shoe 22 downwardly and rotates the lock so as to throw the jaw 20 into the closed position in which it is indicated in Fig. 3. In order to provide clearance for the upper portion of the shoe 22 when the lock is in its closed position, the edge of the lock is formed at a suitable point with a deep gap or recess 58. In the chamber 16 is provided a detent pawl 59, which is disposed in an inclined position, its lower end being attached to the head by a pivot screw 60. This pawl 59 is formed on its inner edge with teeth which are adapted to engage the teeth 19, as indicated in Fig. 3, and is pressed into engagement with the teeth by a coil spring 62 thrusting against the wall of the pocket and against the back of the pawl, as shown. The free end of the pawl 59 is formed into a hook 63, and this hook is engaged by a link 64, which extends through an opening in the side wall of the chamber 16, and is pivotally connected by a pin 66 with a lever 67. This lever has a cam toe 68 beyond the pivot pin 66, which cooperates with the bottom of a pocket 69 so as to enable the link to be pulled outwardly when the lever 67 is pulled upwardly to the position in which it is shown in dotted lines at 70. The lower end of this lever 67 is formed into a hook 71, facilitating its operation, and the lower end of this hook 71 is engaged by a spring clip 72, which normally holds the lever against the slide of the head, as shown. The construction. is such as to enable the end of the hook 71 to snap under the spring clip 72, as will be readily understood. The upper end of the handle 10 is provided with a suspending ring 7 3, as shown, for supporting the shackle from the end of the gambrel stick 8, as will be readily understood.

The shackle is provided with a recessed cover plate 7 1, which is attached to the handle by suitable fastening devices 75, as shown.

The mode of operation of the shackle will now be described.

Fig. 3 shows the device in its normal posit-ion with jaws closed. When it is desired to set the jaws open, the cam lever 39 is pulled downwardly so'that the cam 38 swings the trigger 31 upwardly; the toe of this trigger operating against the upper end of this slot 34: draws the stem 26 upwardly and compresses the spring 28. This upward movement of the stem 26 pulls the shoe 22 upwardly and rotates the lock 17 on its pivot until the notch 14 is engaged by the tooth 45. WVhen this occurs, the lock 17 is held againstrotation, and the spring is held in a compressed condition. The jaws are then open, as indicated in Fig. 2, and the hogs leg can be introduced between the jaws, as will be readily understood. Then the push button 54: may be pressed which releases the lock 17, and the spring 28 acts instantly to rotate the lock and move the jaw 20 toward the jaw 12 in such a way as to grip the leg, as indicated in Fig. 1. As the jaw 20 arrives at its closed position, the teeth 19 of the lock come into contact with the teeth 61 of the pawl 59, and the pawl 59 holds the lock 17 against a backward rotation, such as would open the jaws. On account of this pawl 59, it will be impossible for the weight of the hog to open the jaws.

When it is desired to release the hog from the shackle, this can be done by pulling the lever 67 upwardly, which movement will draw the link 64: outwardly and pull. the pawl 59 out of engagement with the teeth 19. The weight of the hog then will open the jaws, and the hook will release itself and the jaw 20 will then snap shut again. In this connection attention is called to the fact that when the jaw 20 is closed, the upper edge 7 6 of its lower extremity projects above the corresponding edge of the fixed jaw 12 so that the weight of the hog always produces pressure on the upper side of the jaw 20. In this connection it should be noted that the lower end of the jaw 12 inclines downwardly; furthermore, the point at which the pressure is exerted on the movable jaw 20 is disposed toward the right of a vertical line passing through the pivot pin 18, and this arrangement insures that the weight of the hog will rotate the jaw 20 toward the left and open the shackle.

Having described my invention what I claim as'new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a shackle, in combination, a body having a fixed jaw, a lock pivotally mounted on said body and having a movable jaw cooperating with said fixed jaw, a shoe pivot ally attached to said lock, a stem having a pivot connection with said shoe and extend ing upwardly in said body, a spring disposed around said stem and tending to force said shoe downwardly to hold said lock and close said movable jaw, means for drawing said stem rearwa-rdly to rotate said lock and compress said spring, a catch for holding said lock against the action of said spring, and means for releasing said catch.

2. In a shackle, in combination, a body, a stem mounted to slide longitudinally in said body, a fixed jaw, a movable jaw connected with said stem, a spring tending to move said stem and actuate said jaw, a trigger in connection with said stem and adapted to withdraw the same to compress said spring, a lever for actuating said trigger, a catch for holding said movable jaw against the force of said spring, and means for releasing said catch.

3. In a shackle, in combination, a body, a lock rotatably mounted in said body, a jaw carried thereby, a shoe pivotally attached to said look, a stem connected with said shoe, means for actuating said stem in said body, a spring tending to slide said stem and tending to rotate said lock, means for guiding said shoe in said body so as to rotate said lock, a trigger pivotally mounted in said body and having ajaw engaging said stem adapted to withdraw said stem and compressing said spring, a lever, means actuated by said lever for moving said trigger, a catch cooperating with said lock to hold said lock against the force of said spring, and means for releasing said catch.

4. In a shackle, in combination, a body,

a fixed jaw projecting downwardly therefrom, a lock pivotally mounted in said body and having a movable jaw cooperating with said fixed jaw, said lock having a. notch on the side face thereof and having circumferential ratchet teeth, a pawl cooperating with said ratchet teeth adapted to prevent a backward movement of said look when said movable jaw moves toward its closed position, a spring in connection with said lock and tending to rotate said lock, means for compressing said spring, a catch cooperating with said notch to hold said lock against rotation against the force of said spring, means for releasing said catch, means for removing said pawl to disengage the same from said teeth.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 6th day of May, 1910.

J. R. MORSE.

Witnesses:

F. D. AMMEN, EDMUND A. STRAUSE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

